It has been a while. Somehow the thought “I should write a blog today” gets pushed off until tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. Much has happened since the last post of January 30th. I’ll summarize quickly – I finished spring semester, looking forward to fall semester and my two offices of Student Government Secretary and Phi Theta Kappa Vice President of Scholarship. There is a new company in place at Ole Miss, and I hope to be working for them for the football, basketball and baseball seasons. In 6 days, I embark on a journey through a part of the US that I have never seen, seeing historical places only names to me before now. That trip has a little bit to do with part of my musings, but not much.

This country I live in has seen much in her 239 years. Today is the first day of the 240th year of the existence of the United States of America. When you look at the age of most of Europe, Asia, even some South American countries, we are barely a toddler. In the last month, the growing pains have been intense. In the last month, what has been a growing divide has become a chasm, in places so deep the bottom is not visible, and the pebble you drop to see how deep it is never makes a sound. The question becomes can we find the material and manpower to bridge the chasm, or do we allow it to become a permanent tear in the fabric of our nation. Two issues have lit the proverbial fuse. Do we let it burn, or do we pour water on the fire and contain the damage?

First, the so-called Confederate Flag. Let’s get one thing straight – this flag was designed as a battle flag so that troops in the Civil War would be able to differentiate between their units and those of the Union. Nothing more. It was a marker. It was never racist. It was never anything more than a piece of cloth used in a war. A war in which Americans fought Americans. A war in which Americans killed Americans. If you boil it down to bare brass tacks, a war for equality. At the end of that war, the South was welcomed back into the Union. The United States went from an “is” to an “are”. It would seem that there are those today who want the “is” back. Because NOTHING is about the collective United States. “I” is being thrown around like a baseball in batting practice. This flag represents HISTORY. Nothing more, and most assuredly nothing less. Look at this graphic from civilwar.org, representing military casualties in the American military:

620,000! That is how many American citizens died when this nation divided in 1861. The total of all other conflicts – 684,253! At the time, 620,000 was 2% of the entire population. Some more recent figures have been set at as much as 875,000 because the actual record keeping was sporadic at times. Now look at your town. Unless you live in a major city, I’m willing to wager that it would take much less than that to completely wipe out your entire town. I live in a rural area, but the population of the nearest major “city” is right at 40,000. If this doesn’t work for an example for you, try this. The University of Alabama’s football stadium, Bryant Denny, holds 100,000. The dead from the Civil War would fill it to capacity over SIX TIMES!!!! But yet this flag, this Confederate Battle Flag, needs to disappear???? The Union, at the beginning of the war, had a population of approximately 22 million people; the Confederacy about 9 million people. The Union Army had 2,128,948 soldiers. The Confederate Army had 1,082,119. Even more telling is this graphic, also from civilwar.org, of casualties:

A casualty is a combatant who can no longer perform his duty because of death, wound, or capture/missing. 1,496,000 casualties! That is more than the entire Confederate force! These were all Americans. The notion that the Confederates were traitors is ridiculous. They sincerely believed they were misrepresented/underrepresented in the government, and were being railroaded by that government. Before the Civil War, each state was proud of its own independence, North and South. Robert E. Lee was offered command of the Union Army, but because his state of Virginia had seceded (which he called his country), he felt obligated to Virginia over his obligation to the United States. This was not rare, but rather common. Senator Jefferson Davis cried on the Senate floor when he said his goodbyes upon Mississippi’s secession. Military men who had fought side by side now faced each other on the field of battle. The stories of brother against brother are not fiction – the division of families happened over and over as men left for war.

I could go on and on, for there are stories and facts for every day from the first shot at Fort Sumter to the surrender at Appomattox and beyond. But I lay these facts out for this reason – this flag is HISTORY. Whether Union or Confederate, the 3,211,067 men who fought this war deserve to be remembered. I could list name after name that are forever imbedded in the history of the United States. But every last one of those over three million men, and all the over 28 million who stayed home, deserve our respect. They are the reason why we have a United States of America today. Every drop of blood that was spilled deserves our remembrance. This nation would not be here today if that war had not happened, and if the outcome would have been different. Out of respect for those gone before, this flag MUST remain at the sites that honor their sacrifice, their determination, and their patriotism. Those who fought the war were already gone by the time others took their symbol of valiant patriotism and made it a symbol of oppression, told lies about its history, and used fear to turn their sacrifice into hatred that never existed. The words of Abraham Lincoln from his famous “Gettysburg Address” speak well to the importance of those four years (from abrahamlincolnonline.org):

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863″

Note his line “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can NEVER FORGET WHAT THEY DID HERE.” Those who would relegate the Confederate Battle Flag, a flag that flew at Gettysburg and countless other battlefields during the Civil War, to be put away forget. They want to forget. All they want to remember is what they have been instructed in fear and loathing – that a simple piece of cloth means nothing except the perverted ideals of those who have no clue what honor truly is.

As far as the use of the Confederate Battle Flag on current statehouse grounds, I agree it is time for it to be put aside. But the incorporation of this flag into state flags should not instill fear, loathing or hatred, but pride. Pride that the citizens of that state cared enough about their world to die for what they saw not as a state, but as their country. Those men, and the families who stayed home, didn’t whine about not getting enough government aid to buy a Cadillac or go to Disney World. They didn’t have more kids so their welfare check could go up. They didn’t lie on their taxes. They were fiercely proud of their state(s). North and South, they were only one generation removed from the Revolutionary War (maybe two), and they had grown up hearing all about George Washington, Valley Forge, Patrick Henry. Think about this timeline; to relate it to today, look at what was happening in the United States 87 years ago, in 1928. Personally, my dad was 14, my mom was 2. The Great Depression was about a year away. How many of us can immediately call to mind the stories of grandpa, great grandpa, or uncles who were “wild” in the Roaring 20’s? I sure can! Now look at those families at the time of the Civil War. Maybe your very own ancestors. If you are like me, you had family on both sides. Family that fought and died. For them, for all the 31 million citizens of the United States of America in 1861, the Confederate Battle Flag MUST remain at those sites they so valiantly, so selflessly fought and died to preserve. It is a true disservice to this nation, and every drop of blood ever spilled to protect and defend her, to do anything less. Go after those who have defiled the history of this flag with their racism and hatred – but don’t blame the flag. She didn’t do it. She was a part of history before those who defiled her were even born.

**************

I put the asterisks in because now I switch gears. The other issue that divides my country is much more than the simple decision of the Supreme Court that couples of the same sex can marry. The crux of this matter is actually religion, and that in and of itself makes it touchy. So, as I start, let me say unequivocally that my intent is not to anger, ridicule, or in any way discount any feelings anyone has about this. If you feel that is my intent, I apologize – not for my views, but that I was unable to present them in a way that you felt threatened or belittled your views. This could not be further from my aims.

First, a little about marriage. Marriage is NOT religious. Yes, there is a definition of marriage in the bible. That is not in dispute. However, when a couple marries in the United States, the marriage license is purchased at the county courthouse. In many cases, the marriage is performed at the county courthouse. You claim “married” as a filing status on your taxes, again there is no church involvement, but rather government. Marriage, as defined by the laws of the United States, is quite simply a tax. You have to pay again – not the church, but the government by way of the legal system – if you either annul your marriage or get a divorce. So, as a civil action, it is a civil right. Every adult citizen in the United States has the right to opt into the marriage tax. That is the basis of the Supreme Court decision. No where in the determination does it say that a church MUST perform a marriage for a couple – no matter the makeup of the couple. Same sex, same ethnicity, same hair color, different ethnicity, different country of origin, different color eyes – it simply does not matter. As long as two adults are consenting to enter into this legal relationship, it can happen. When those same two adults want out of that legal relationship, they have the right and responsibility to follow the legal channels for either annulment or divorce. That simple, and that complex.

The complex part is religion. The following is a cut and paste from a note I posted on my Facebook page nearly 4 years ago. This is JUST those religions who consider themselves Christian. It’s very lengthy, but my point will become clear.

The following is a simple cut and paste from Wikipedia – these churches all consider themselves as Christians. Yes, all of them! This is in regard to my question of yesterday about how you consider the importance of your religion. Warning – its 25 pages in my word processing program.

Catholicism

Main article: Catholicism

These are the churches which claim continuity (based upon Apostolic Succession) with the early Church.

[edit]Catholic Church

Main article: Catholic Church

Catholic Church is composed of two rites; one is the western or latin rite, another is the eastern rite (i.e., Eastern Catholic Churches).

[edit]The Latin Rite

The Latin Rite or Church[3] is the largest and most widely known of the 22 Rites that together make up the Catholic Church.

[edit]Eastern Catholic Churches

Main article: Eastern Catholic Churches

All of the following are particular churches of the Catholic Church. They are all in communion with the Bishop of Rome and acknowledge his claim of universal jurisdiction and authority. They have some minor distinct theological emphases and expressions (for instance, in the case of those that are of Greek/Byzantine tradition, concerning some non-doctrinal aspects of the Latin view of purgatory).[4]The Eastern Catholic churches and the Latin church (which together compose the worldwide Catholic Church) share the same doctrine and sacraments, and thus the same faith.

Armenian Catholic Church

Belarusian Greek Catholic Church

Bulgarian Catholic Church

Chaldean Catholic Church

Coptic Catholic Church

Croatian Greek Catholic Church

Ethiopian Catholic Church

Georgian Catholic Church

Greek Catholic Church

Hungarian Greek Catholic Church

Italo-Albanian Catholic Church

Macedonian Catholic Church

Maronite Catholic Church

Melkite Catholic Church

Romanian Catholic Church

Russian Catholic Church

Ruthenian Catholic Church (usually called the “Byzantine Catholic Church” in the United States)

Slovak Greek Catholic Church

Syrian Catholic Church

Syro-Malabar Church

Syro-Malankara Catholic Church

Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

The Catholic Church considers itself the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded.[5] As such, the Catholic Church does not consider itself a denomination, but as pre-denominational, the original Church of Christ.

Estonian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate (semi-autonomous; not universally recognized)

Serbian Orthodox Church

Macedonian Orthodox Church

Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric

Romanian Orthodox Church

Metropolis of Bessarabia

Bulgarian Orthodox Church

Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church

Cypriot Orthodox Church

Church of Greece

Albanian Orthodox Church

Polish Orthodox Church

Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania

Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church

Orthodox Church in America (autocephaly not universally recognized)

The Eastern Orthodox Church considers itself to be the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded.

[edit]Other churches

Some Orthodox Churches with not universally recognized autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople:

Greek Old Calendarists

Montenegrin Orthodox Church

Macedonian Orthodox Church

Russian Old Believers

Orthodox-Catholic Church of America (OCCA)

Ukrainian Orthodox Church:

Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church

Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kiev Patriarchy)

[edit]Oriental Orthodoxy

Main article: Oriental Orthodox Church

Oriental Orthodoxy comprises those Christians who did not accept the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451). Other denominations often erroneously label these churches “Monophysite”, however, as the Oriental Orthodox do not adhere to the teachings of Eutyches, they themselves reject this label, preferring the term Miaphysite.

Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria

British Orthodox Church

French Coptic Orthodox Church

Syriac Orthodox Church

Jacobite Syrian Christian Church

Armenian Apostolic Church

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Holy See of Cilicia

Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople

Church of Caucasian Albania (extinct)

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church

The Antiochian Catholic Church in America is theologically aligned with the Oriental Orthodox, but is not in full communion with them, primarily because it ordains women and does not impose celibacy on its bishops.

Celtic Orthodox Church

Sassanid Church (no longer in existence)

Malabar Independent Syrian Church

The Oriental Orthodox Church considers itself to be the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded.

[edit]Church of the East

The Church of the East is said to have been formed by St Thomas. The Church did not attend the Council of Ephesus (AD 431). It is incorrectly referred to as the Nestorian Church; Assyrian Christians do not consider themselves Nestorians, and recent Christological agreements with the Catholic and some of the Orthodox churches have resolved this debate permanently, clearing the way for ecumenical relations.

Church of the East (historical church)

Assyrian Church of the East (successor church)

Ancient Church of the East (successor church)

The Church of the East considers itself to be the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded.

[edit]Protestantism

Main articles: Protestantism and Protestant Reformation

See also: Protestantism by country

These are the churches “which repudiated the papal authority, and separated or were severed from the Roman communion in the Reformation of the 16th cent., and of any of the bodies of Christians descended from them.”[6]

Diagram showing major branches and movements within Protestantism

[edit]Pre-Lutheran Protestants

Hussites

Moravian Church

Unity of the Brethren

Utraquists

Waldensians

[edit]Lutheranism

Main articles: Lutheranism and Martin Luther

Apostolic Lutheran Church of America

Association of Free Lutheran Congregations

Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America

Church of the Lutheran Confession

Concordia Lutheran Conference

Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference

Evangelical Lutheran Church “Concord” (Russia)

Evangelical Lutheran Free Church (Germany)

Evangelical Lutheran Synod (United States)

Lutheran Church of Central Africa Malawi Conference

Lutheran Church of Central Africa Zambia Conference

Ukrainian Lutheran Church

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (United States)

Evangelical Catholic Church

Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran

Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

International Lutheran Council

American Association of Lutheran Churches

Evangelical Lutheran Church – Synod of France and Belgium

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil

Evangelical Lutheran Church of England

Gutnius Lutheran Church

Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church

Japan Lutheran Church

Lanka Lutheran Church

Lutheran Church—Canada

Lutheran Church—Hong Kong Synod

Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (United States)

Lutheran Church of Australia (associate member)

German Evangelical Church in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia (no longer in existence)

Laestadian Lutheran Church

Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Lutheran Church of China (no longer in existence)

Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (United States)

Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church (United States)

Lutheran Ministerium and Synod – USA

Lutheran World Federation

Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church

Arcot Lutheran Church

Batak Christian Protestant Church

Evangelical Church of Denmark

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

Church of Iceland

Church of Norway

Church of Sweden

Church of the Faroe Islands

Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church

Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Madhya Pradesh

Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Himalayan States

Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway (associate member)

Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam

Indian Evangelical Lutheran Church

Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church

Lutheran Church of Australia (associate member)

Malagasy Lutheran Church

Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church

Simalungun Protestant Christian Church

South Andhra Lutheran Church

Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church

[edit]Anglicanism

[edit]Anglican Communion

Main article: Anglican Communion

See also: Anglicanism

Anglicanism has referred to itself as the via media between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. It considers itself to be both Catholic and Reformed. Although the use of the term “Protestant” to refer to Anglicans was once common, it is controversial today, with some rejecting the label and others accepting it.

Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia

Anglican Church in Central America

Anglican Church of Australia

Anglican Church of Burundi

Anglican Church of Canada

Anglican Church of Kenya

Anglican Church of Korea

Anglican Church of Mexico

Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea

Anglican Church of Southern Africa

Anglican Church of Tanzania

Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America

Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil

Church in the Province of the West Indies

Church in Wales

Church of England

Church of Ireland

Church of Nigeria

Church of Uganda

Church of the Province of Central Africa

Church of the Province of Melanesia

Church of the Province of Myanmar

Church of the Province of Rwanda

Church of the Province of South East Asia

Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean

Church of the Province of West Africa

Episcopal Church (in the United States and elsewhere)

Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East

Episcopal Church in the Philippines

Episcopal Church of Cuba

Episcopal Church of the Sudan

Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui

Lusitanian Catholic Apostolic Evangelical Church (in Portugal)

Nippon Sei Ko Kai (Japan)

Province de L’Eglise Anglicane Du Congo

Scottish Episcopal Church

Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church

The Anglican Communion also includes the following united churches:

Church of Bangladesh

Church of North India

Church of South India

Church of Pakistan

The Anglican Communion considers itself to be part of the One Holy catholic and Apostolic Church that Christ founded, without the implication that various other churches are not also branches of it.

[edit]Other Anglican Churches

Main article: Continuing Anglican movement

African Orthodox Church

Anglican Catholic Church

Anglican Church in America

Anglican Church in North America

Anglican Church of India

Anglican Episcopal Church (USA)

Anglican Mission in the Americas

Anglican Orthodox Church

Anglican Province of America

Anglican Province of Christ the King

Christian Episcopal Church

Church of England (Continuing)

Church of England in South Africa

Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches

Diocese of the Great Lakes

Diocese of the Holy Cross

Episcopal Missionary Church

Evangelical Connexion of the Free Church of England

Free Church of England

Free Protestant Episcopal Church

Holy Catholic Church–Western Rite

Independent Anglican Church Canada Synod

Orthodox Anglican Church

Reformed Episcopal Church

Southern Episcopal Church

United Episcopal Church of North America

[edit]Reformed Churches

Main article: Reformed Churches

See also: Calvinism and First Great Awakening

Canadian and American Reformed Churches

Christian Reformed Church in North America

Christian Reformed Churches of Australia

Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches

Congregational Federation of Australia

Dutch Reformed Church

Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches

Free Reformed Churches of North America

Heritage Reformed Congregations

Netherlands Reformed Congregations

Orthodox Christian Reformed Church

Protestant Reformed Churches in America

Reformed Church in America

Reformed Church in Hungary

Reformed Church in the United States

United Reformed Church

United Reformed Churches in North America

Armenian Reformed Bible Church

[edit]Presbyterianism

Main article: Presbyterianism

See also: Presbyterian polity

Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church

Bible Presbyterian Church

Christ Community Church

Church of Scotland

Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches

Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Evangelical Presbyterian Church (United States)

Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales

Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ukraine

Evangelical Presbyterian Church (Australia)

Evangelical Reformed Presbyterian Church

Free Church of Scotland

Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)

Free Presbyterian Church (Australia)

Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland

Free Presbyterian Church of North America

Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster

Greek Evangelical Church

Orthodox Presbyterian Church

Presbyterian Church in America

Presbyterian Church in Canada

Presbyterian Church of India

Presbyterian Church in Ireland

Presbyterian Church in Taiwan

Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand

Presbyterian Church of Australia

Presbyterian Church of Brazil

Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia

Presbyterian Church of Korea

Presbyterian Church of Pakistan

Presbyterian Church of Wales (also a Methodist church)

Presbyterian Church (USA)

Presbyterian Reformed Church (Australia)

Presbyterian Reformed Church (North America)

Reformed Church of France

Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly

Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery

Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States

Reformed Presbyterian Church of Australia

Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America

Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland

Southern Presbyterian Church (Australia)

United Free Church of Scotland

United Presbyterian Church of North America

Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa

United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan

Upper Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Westminster Presbyterian Church of Australia

Westminster Presbyterian Church in the United States

[edit]Congregationalist Churches

Main article: Congregational Church

Conservative Congregational Christian Conference

English Independents (virtually extinct as a modern and distinct group)

Huguenots (virtually extinct as a modern and distinct group)

National Association of Congregational Christian Churches

United Congregational Church of Southern Africa

[edit]Anabaptists

Main article: Anabaptists

See also: Radical Reformation, Theology of Anabaptism, and Schwarzenau Brethren

See also: Higher Life movement, Holiness Tabernacles, and Third Great Awakening

Bible Fellowship Church

Christian Baptist Church of God

Christian and Missionary Alliance

Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church

Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A.

Church of God (Anderson)

Church of God (Guthrie, Oklahoma)

Church of God (Holiness)

Church of God (Restoration)

Church of God in Christ

Churches of God General Conference (Winebrenner)

Deeper Life Bible Church

Evangelical Church of India

Evangelical Free Church of America

Harmony Society

Missionary Church

Salvation Army

United Christian Church

[edit]Baptists

Main article: Baptists

See also: Baptist beliefs and List of Baptist Confessions

Note: All Baptist associations are congregationalist affiliations for the purpose of cooperation, in which each local church is governmentally independent. The most prominent Baptist organizations in the United States are the American Baptist Association, tending to be more liberal, the National Baptist Convention, tending to be more moderate and the Southern Baptist Convention, tending to be more conservative.

Further information: List of Baptist sub-denominations

African United Baptist Association of Nova Scotia

Alliance of Baptists

American Baptist Association

American Baptist Churches USA

Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland

Association of Grace Baptist Churches

Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America

Association of Regular Baptist Churches

Baptist Bible Fellowship International

Baptist Conference of the Philippines

Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec

Baptist Convention of Western Cuba

Baptist General Conference (Sweden)

Baptist General Conference of Canada

Baptist General Convention of Texas

Baptist Missionary Association of America

Baptist Union of Australia

Baptist Union of Great Britain

Baptist Union of New Zealand

Baptist Union of Scotland

Baptist Union of Western Canada

Baptist World Alliance

Bible Baptist

Black Primitive Baptists

Canadian Baptist Ministries

Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists

Central Baptist Association

Central Canada Baptist Conference

Christian Unity Baptist Association

Conservative Baptist Association

Conservative Baptist Association of America

Continental Baptist Churches

Convención Nacional Bautista de Mexico

Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches

Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars

Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India

Council of Baptist Churches in Northern India

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

European Baptist Convention

European Baptist Federation

Evangelical Baptist Mission of South Haiti

Evangelical Free Baptist Church

Evangelical Baptist Church of Kent

Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada

Free Will Baptist Church

Fundamental Baptist Fellowship of America

General Association of Baptists

General Association of General Baptists

General Association of Regular Baptist Churches

General Conference of the Evangelical Baptist Church, Inc.

General Six-Principle Baptists

Grace Baptist Assembly

Independent Baptist

Independent Baptist Church of America

Independent Baptist Fellowship International

Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America

Interstate & Foreign Landmark Missionary Baptist Association

Landmark Baptist Church

Liberty Baptist Fellowship

Manipur Baptist Convention

Myanmar Baptist Convention

Nagaland Baptist Church Council

National Association of Free Will Baptists

National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.

National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.

National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the U.S.A.

National Missionary Baptist Convention of America

National Primitive Baptist Convention of the U.S.A.

New England Evangelical Baptist Fellowship

Nigerian Baptist Convention

North American Baptist Conference

North Bank Baptist Christian Association

Norwegian Baptist Union

Old Baptist Union

Old Regular Baptist

Old Time Missionary Baptist

Primitive Baptist

Progressive Baptist

Progressive National Baptist Convention

Reformed Baptist

Regular Baptist Churches, General Association of

Regular Baptist

Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches

Separate Baptist

Separate Baptists in Christ

Seventh Day Baptist

Southeast Conservative Baptist

Southern Baptist Convention

Southern Baptists of Texas

Sovereign Grace Baptists

Strict Baptists

Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists

Union d’Églises baptistes françaises au Canada

United American Free Will Baptist Church

United American Free Will Baptist Conference

United Baptist

United Baptist Convention of the Atlantic Provinces

United Free Will Baptist

World Baptist Fellowship

[edit]Spiritual Baptists

Note: The Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese of New York, Inc has congregationalist affiliations for the purpose of cooperation, in which each local church is governmentally independent.

Churches which are the result of a merger between distinct denominational churches. Churches are listed here when their disparate heritage marks them as inappropriately listed in the particular categories above.

Main article: United and uniting churches

China Christian Council

Church of Bangladesh

Church of Pakistan

Church of North India

Church of South India

Evangelical Church in Germany

Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren

Mar Thoma Church

Protestant Church in the Netherlands

St. Thomas Evangelical Church

United Church of Canada

United Church of Christ

United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands

United Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands

United Church of Christ in the Philippines

Uniting Church in Australia

[edit]Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Main article: Religious Society of Friends

Conservative Friends

Evangelical Friends International

Friends General Conference

Friends United Meeting

Note: The Religious Society of Friends is historically considered a Protestant denomination. While Evangelical Friends and most members of the Friends United Meeting would consider themselves Protestant Christians, many Quakers today consider their faith to be a distinct, non-Protestant form of Christianity. Some Friends General Conference Quakers are “post-Christian” and some non-theists.

[edit]Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement

Main article: Restoration Movement

See also: Christian primitivism and Second Great Awakening

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Churches of Christ

Churches of Christ (non-institutional)

Churches of Christ in Australia

Christian churches and churches of Christ

International Churches of Christ (Boston Movement)

Evangelical Christian Church in Canada[7]

[edit]Southcottites

Christian Israelite Church

[edit]Millerites and comparable groups

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (June 2011)

See also: List of Christian denominations#Bible Student groups

[edit]Sabbath-Keeping Churches, Adventist

Adventist Church of Promise

Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church

General Conference of the Church of God (Seventh-Day)

Seventh-day Adventist Church

Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement

[edit]Sabbath-Keeping Churches, Non-Adventist

Branch Davidians

Church of God International (USA)

Church of the Great God

Intercontinental Church of God

Living Church of God

Philadelphia Church of God

Seventh-Day Baptists Seventh-Day Evangelist Church

Seventh Day Christians – Norway (Syvende dags Kristne)

True Jesus Church

United Church of God

United Seventh-Day Brethren

[edit]Sunday Adventists

Advent Christian Church

Church of God General Conference (Abrahamic Faith)

Church of the Blessed Hope (aka Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith)

[edit]Sacred Name Groups

Assemblies of Yahweh

House of Yahweh

New Life Fellowship

Jehovah’s Witnesses

Dawn Bible Students Association

Assembly of Yahweh

Friends of Man

Christian Millennial Fellowship

Pastoral Bible Institute

[edit]British-Israelism

Main article: British Israelism

British-Israel-World Federation

Christian Identity and other white separatist/supremacist groups

Church of Jesus Christ-Christian (Aryan Nations)

Kingdom Identity Ministries

LaPorte Church of Christ

The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord

Revival Centres International

The Revival Fellowship

Armstrongism

[edit]Miscellaneous/Other

Associated Gospel Churches of Canada (AGC)

Believers’ Church in India

Family International a.k.a. “The Family International”, “Family of Love”, “The Family”

Most Latter Day Saint denominations are derived from the Church of Christ, established by Joseph Smith in 1830. The majority of “Prairie Saint” denominations were established after the death of Smithby the remnants of the Saints who did not go west with Brigham Young. The Rocky Mountain denominations are various sects who broke from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after its abandonment of polygamy in 1890. Other denominations are defined by either a belief in Joseph Smith as a prophet, or acceptance of the Book of Mormon as scripture. Mormonism is generally considered restorationist, believing that Smith, by inspiration and revelation, restored the original Church of Christ to the earth. Some Latter Day Saint denominations are regarded by other Christians as being nontrinitarian, but generally do not accept that label themselves, in contrast to the groups labeled “nontrinitarian” below.

The churches within the Latter Day Saint movement are not recognized as an orthodox Christian denomination, and are usually rejected as Christian altogether by most Protestants. Mormons, however, strongly oppose this rejection.

[edit]Original denomination

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

[edit]”Prairie Saint” denominations

Church of Christ (Temple Lot) (Hedrickites)

Church of Christ with the Elijah Message

Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)

Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)

Community of Christ, formerly called Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) (largest “Prairie Saint” denomination)

Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Independent RLDS / Restoration Branches

Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Restored Church of Jesus Christ (Eugene O. Walton)

[edit]Rocky Mountains denominations

Apostolic United Brethren

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) – by far the largest Latter Day Saint denomination

Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS)

Latter Day Church of Christ (Kingston Clan)

The True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days

[edit]Other denominations

Aaronic Order

Restoration Church of Jesus Christ

[edit]Nontrinitarian groups

Main article: Nontrinitarianism

Various denominations whose self-understanding denies trinitarian theology held by other Christians.

[edit]Oneness Pentecostalism

Main article: Oneness Pentecostalism

Affirming Pentecostal Church International

Apostolic Assemblies of Christ

Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus

Apostolic Brethren

Apostolic Church of Pentecost

Apostolic Gospel Church of Jesus Christ

Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God

Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ

Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Churches of Jesus Christ International

Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith

Global Alliance of Affirming Apostolic Pentecostals

Pentecostal Assemblies of the World

United Pentecostal Church International

United Pentecostal Church in India

[edit]Unitarianism and Universalism

Main articles: Unitarianism and Christian Universalism

See also: Unitarian Universalism

American Unitarian Conference, North America

Christian Universalist Association, US

International Council of Unitarians and Universalists

Australian and New Zealand Unitarian Universalist Association

Canadian Unitarian Council

Deutsche Unitarier Religionsgemeinschaft, Germany

European Unitarian Universalists

General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, United Kingdom & Ireland

Unitarian Universalist Association, US

Unitarian Universalist Society of Spain

Unitarisk Kirkesamfund, Denmark

Socinianism (extinct as a modern and distinct group)

Polish Brethren (extinct as a modern and distinct group)

[edit]Bible Student groups

Main article: Bible Student movement

Christian Millennial Fellowship

Dawn Bible Students Association

Friends of Man

Jehovah’s Witnesses

Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement

Pastoral Bible Institute

[edit]Swedenborgianism

Main article: Swedenborgianism

See also: The New Church

General Church of the New Jerusalem

Lord’s New Church Which Is Nova Hierosolyma

Swedenborgian Church of North America formerly General Convention of the New Jerusalem

[edit]Other non-Trinitarians

Christadelphians

Church of the Blessed Hope

Church of Christ, Scientist

Doukhobors (“Spirit-Wrestlers”)

Arian Catholic Church

Iglesia ni Cristo

Makuya

Molokans

Members Church of God International

Most Holy Church of God in Christ Jesus

Subbotniks

Two by Twos (“Christian Conventions”)

Unification Church

Universal Alliance

The Way International

[edit]Messianic Judaism / Jewish Christians

Main article: Messianic Judaism

See also: Messianic Movement and Messianic Jewish theology

Chosen People Ministries

Coalition of Torah Observant Messianic Congregations

British Messianic Jewish Alliance

Fellowship of Messianic Congregations (FMC)

International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues

International Federations of Messianic Jews (IFMJ)

International Messianic Jewish Alliance (IMJA)

Jews for Jesus

Messianic Bureau International (MBI)

Messianic Israel Alliance (MIA)

Messianic Jewish Alliance of America (MJAA)

Messianic Jewish Alliance of Australia

Messianic Hebrews International

The Association of Messianic Congregations (AMC)

The British Messianic Jewish Alliance

The International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues (IAMCS)

The Jerusalem Council

The United Alliance of Congregations Pursuing a Messianic Torah

Tikkun Ministries International

Union of Conservative Messianic Synagogues (UCMJS)

Union of Nazarene Jewish Synagogues

Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations (UMJC)

Union of Nazarene Yisraelite Congregations

United Messianic Jewish Alliance (UMJA)

[edit]Esoteric Christianity

Main articles: Esoteric Christianity and Western Mystery Tradition

Anthroposophical Society of Rudolf Steiner

Archeosophical Society of Tommaso Palamidessi

Lectorium Rosicrucianum of Jan van Rijckenborgh/Catharose de Petri

Martinism of Louis Claude de Saint-Martin et al.

Societas Rosicruciana by Masons

The Rosicrucian Fellowship of Max Heindel

[edit]New Thought

Main article: New Thought

See also: History of New Thought

The relation of New Thought to Christianity is sometimes murky; some of its adherents see themselves as practicing a true or correct form of Christianity, or as doing what Jesus did, while others, in particular, Religious Science says “yes and no” to the question of whether it considers itself Christian leaving it to the individual to define themselves.[8]

Church of Divine Science[9]

Religious Science[10]

Unity Church[11]

[edit]Syncretistic religions incorporating elements of Christianity

The relation of these movements to other Christian ideas can be remote. They are listed here because they include some elements of Christian practice or beliefs, within religious contexts which may be only loosely characterized as Christian.

Yes, I know, some of these overlap the ones above, and do center on Christ. But these two lists serve my purpose (oh, and the above was found on worldreligions.com). The founding fathers of the United States wanted, among other things, no central, government-sponsored religion. This was to be a nation of religious freedom never before imagined. Go back in history – even some 5,000+ years before the birth of Christ (some historians will say go 10,000 years before, or even more). The main civilizations had a central religion. Didn’t like it? You were imprisoned or killed. Period end of story. Multitudes have been killed over the millenia in the name of religion. That is a whole other subject. Back to our marriage woes. Many people who marry choose to have a marriage in a church. Most choose to marry in the church where they worship. But thousands of couples get married at the courthouse, in the park, at home, at the lake – there was even a story not too long ago about a couple that got married at 10,000 feet while sky diving! My point is two-pronged. First, if marriage is religious, then are all the couples who got married somewhere other than the church illegally married? No, they are LEGALLY married. There’s that pesky word again. Are they married according to the tenets of THEIR religion? Absolutely – because its THEIR religion. Look up at that list again. It added over 6,000 words to this blog. Every single person who worships at one of those religions BELIEVES in their religion. The cool part is, our founding documents and laws say that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE RELIGIONS IS WELCOME HERE!!!!! What we DO NOT have the right to is impose our beliefs on our fellow citizens. I’m 51 years old. I went to school with Jewish kids, Catholic kids, and Protestant kids. I even went to school with kids who NEVER WENT TO CHURCH! You know what we had in common? That’s right, we were AMERICANS. What my fellow Americans choose to do in their private lives is not my business. Every single person who claims United States citizenship is granted rights and responsibilities. Marriage, as a civil right, is finally granted to all who would enter that relationship. You have the right to your religious convictions. Absolutely. You do not have the right to impose those convictions on other citizens of this country. You have never had that right. Our founders designed it that way, so that ALL AMERICANS could worship as they pleased, something they could not do in their countries of origin.

Back in the 1960’s, there was a huge Civil Rights Movement in the United States. In my opinion, and that’s all it is, my opinion, the end desire of that movement was to move closer to equality for all citizens of this country, and equality that had long been denied to a segment of the population. We have the amazing chance at this juncture in our history to level that playing field even more. We have the chance to be AMERICANS – nothing more, and most assuredly nothing less. We can close this chasm, if we only will. The term American needs no modifiers. There should be only one type of citizen of the United States – the American Citizen. Just as no flag should fly above the flag of the United States of America, no part of your heritage should be more important than the distinction of being a citizen of this yet fledgling nation. Me – I’m an American with ancestry of British, Scottish, German and Dutch origin. But the definition I prefer is that I am an American citizen who proudly served in the United States Navy, and who loves her country, all of its history positive and negative, and is so very thankful for the multitude of freedoms guaranteed me by the founders of this nation some 239 years ago. I don’t ask you to agree with me. I don’t ask you to argue with me. All I ask is your unbiased, contemplative consideration. Can you be an American first, and respect the differences that this amalgamated citizenry represents? Or will you, as evidenced by the posts and comments on social media over the past few days, continue in your destructive “my way or the highway” mentality?

I give this post to you. Do with it what you will. All it truly represents are my musings.